Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Small Businesses: Productivity

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the productivity of small businesses.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Government policy focuses on delivering growth which in turn depends on productivity in the longer term.   We have already set out our four key growth ambitions: creating the most competitive tax system in the G20, making the UK the best place in Europe to start, finance and grow a business, encouraging investment and exports, and creating a more educated workforce. And through our industrial strategy, the whole of government is taking a long-term strategic approach to working in partnership with businesses to increase global competitiveness, support innovation and maximise export potential.   The right tax environment is vital to help businesses flourish so we have cut the main rate of Corporation Tax from 28% to 21% and announced further cuts to 20% by 2015 – the joint lowest rate in the G20 major economies. We have helped businesses with the cost of hiring staff by introducing a new Employer Allowance which cuts £2,000 from the National Insurance bills of small firms. To support small businesses in local communities, the ‘high street discount’ for around 300,000 shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants will go up from £1,000 to £1,500, from April 2015 to March 2016. This is in addition to doubling Small Business Rate Relief for a further year which means 380,000 of the smallest businesses will pay no rates at all.   R&D Tax Credits are the single largest Government support for business investment in R&D. They are designed to encourage greater R&D spend by business leading, in turn, to greater investment in innovation and improved products and processes. The rate of relief under the SME scheme is one of the most competitive rates in the world and, at Autumn Statement 2014, was increased from 225% to 230% of qualifying R&D expenditure from April 2015. Innovate UK is the Government’s prime channel for supporting business-led technology innovation. It delivers a range of programmes in support of businesses undertaking R&D including Collaborative R&D, Smart and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. Innovate UK also provides opportunities for innovative businesses through the growing network of Catapult centres. Under the Coalition Government, Innovate UK, with partner and business contributions, has invested around £3.5 billion in innovation projects across the UK.   More businesses are getting access to the finance they need to start up and grow with Start-Up Loans offered to over 25,000 businesses; so far lending over £129 million. The British Business Bank has facilitated £890m of new lending and investment to over 21,000 small businesses in the year to the end of September 2014. And we have facilitated over £1.67 billion of lending to over 16,000 small businesses since May 2010, through our Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme. We have brought together all Government advice and support in one place at GREATbusiness.gov.uk, where the ‘My Business Support Tool’ helps businesses find the support they need quickly, and businesses can speak to or webchat with a helpline adviser direct using the Business Support helpline. Businesses can also access our new Business Growth Service on the website, which brings together expert advice to improve and grow in one place, including Growth Accelerator, the Manufacturing Advisory Service, and export advice and finance. Small businesses have less regulation to follow with a £10 billion cumulative net saving to businesses as a result of our deregulation work. Through the Red Tape Challenge, we have reviewed over 5,600 regulations and identified 3,000 to scrap or improve. We are on track to surpass our target of saving business £850 million per year.   And around 48,000 businesses have been helped by our UKTI support – of which 90% were small businesses. This support helped generate additional sales of over £49 billion and created or safeguarded over 220,000 jobs over the last year.

Higher Education: Freedom of Expression

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to encourage student unions fully to support freedom of expression on university campuses.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government fully supports freedom of expression on university campuses. The Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill currently before Parliament proposes new measures to reduce the risk of terrorism; these measures, if agreed, will in turn reduce the threat terrorism poses to freedom of speech in universities and elsewhere. We encourage Student Unions to actively support freedom of expression on campus. The Government works with the National Union of Students and supports them in tackling those who promote hatred, discrimination or intolerance based on gender, faith or race to ensure that campuses are safe, welcoming environments where free debate and discussion can take place.

Further Education: Degrees

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the increase in the number of young people choosing to study for degrees at further education colleges as opposed to traditional universities.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: An assessment of trends in entry to first degree courses at different types of Higher Education provider was included in the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s report “Higher education in England 2014: Analysis of latest shifts and trends”. The report is available at: http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/heinengland/2014report/HEinEngland_2014.pdf

Regional Planning and Development: North East

Viscount Ridley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made (1) to the North East Local Enterprise Partnership over its lack of a chief executive since April last year, and (2) to the North East Combined Authority over its failure to establish an inward investment function for the region.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: (1) The appointment of a Chief Executive for the North East Local Enterprise Partnership is a matter for the partnership.   2) The North East LEP (NELEP) and North East Combined Authority (NECA) have agreed to establish an “Inward Investment Gateway” to manage all inward investment activity. An Invest North East England Gateway Manager was appointed in July last year to provide a focused resource to work with partners to coordinate, develop and implement this work.   UKTI is providing dedicated resource for 6 months to NELEP and NECA to determine the best options for the Invest North East England delivery model. This will help develop a North East wide inward Investment strategy and implementation plan as well as identify structure, roles, and remit of the NELEP/NECA inward investment team in this important area of the country.

Mesothelioma

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 23 January (HL4065), what grant applications were made to the Medical Research Council over the last 10 years for mesothelioma research, including in each case the specific types of grant application; which were successful and which unsuccessful; and what were the applying organisation and the individual values of each successful and unsuccessful grant application.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested is in the tables below. I am unable to provide any further details beyond those given here for unsuccessful applications due to the need to maintain the confidentiality of applicants.   Successful applicationsYearApplication typePrincipal Investigator / Project TitleResearch OrganisationAmount awarded2010/11FellowshipDr E K Sage - Genetically Modified Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Malignant Pleural MesotheliomaUniversity College London£247,6172010/11FellowshipDr M Phillips - The Effect of Tumour Microenvironment on Arginine Deprivation in Malignant Pleural MesotheliomaQueen Mary, Univ of London£235,7482012/13FellowshipDr C Rooney - Modulating Beta-1 Integrin Activation as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy in Malignant MesotheliomaKing's College London£251,6432013/14Research GrantProfessor P Elliott - MRC-PHE Centre for Environment and HealthImperial College London£992,471 Unsuccessful applications YearApplication typeAmount requested2004/2005Research Grant£207,2062006/2007Research Grant£220,2852007/2008Fellowship£1,116,8272008/2009Fellowship£205,5612009/2010Research Grant£793,3112010/2011Fellowship£221,2602010/2011Fellowship£134,9872011/2012Research Grant£744,6562013/2014Research Grant£404,8602013/2014Research Grant£322,217

Department for International Development

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent floods in Malawi and the impact on the population both immediately and in relation to the damage to public services and the economy of Malawi.

Baroness Northover: DFID has rapidly responded to the current floods in Malawi. Our response has been based on priorities identified through detailed assessments carried out by the United Nations and the Government of Malawi, validated by DFID officials on the ground. The floods are having a devastating impact on families, homes and livelihoods in the most affected areas. Recent assessments conducted by the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) now suggest that 104 people have died and 172 people are still missing. The number of people displaced to temporary shelters is now estimated at 230,000. DFID has responded to assist those in immediate need, particularly those now sheltering in Government and UN-coordinated displacement camps.   According to figures from the Government of Malawi, approximately 415 schools have been affected by the floods, either by being damaged or due to their use as shelter by displaced communities. District Government Officials are working hard to coordinate with international support to help affected students resume their learning as soon as possible. Around 2% of Malawi’s arable land has been flooded and DFID is working with its partners in Malawi to ensure that affected households are supported with seeds and tools, to allow them to return to their land as the water subsides and to replant their crops.   The latest updates from the Malawi Department of Disaster Management Affairs and United Nations Office of the Resident Coordinator can be found at: http://www.humanitarianresponse.info/operations/malawi

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial support they have provided to the government of Malawi, international institutions or non-governmental organisations in response to the recent flooding in that country, broken down by organisation and amount.

Baroness Northover: The UK does not provide financial support to the Government of Malawi but we are working with the UN and our NGO partners in support of the Government’s Preliminary Response Plan. UN agencies and NGOs are the best mechanisms through which DFID can ensure quick delivery of UK aid to the people who need it most. We are working closely within the coordination structures established by the Government of Malawi and the UN to ensure our response evolves with the changing conditions on the ground. DFID Malawi will mobilise up to £4.1m to help meet the immediate needs of those affected by the floods, and to support early recovery to allow displaced persons to return to their homes and rebuild their livelihoods. Commitments so far include: · £1m to the World Food Programme which has enabled them to supply 370,000 with food for the coming weeks; · £665,000 to UNICEF to provide emergency water, sanitation and hygiene facilities to prevent the spread of disease in displacement camps; · £575,000 to a consortium of NGO’s led by Concern Universal, £240,000 to the Farmers’ Union of Malawi and £30,000 through our private sector programme to provide seeds and tools to smallholder farmers whose crops have been damaged by the floods. Funding for the Concern Universal consortium is also financing the delivery of food, blankets, and household utensils to the worst hit areas in the first week of the flooding, as well as solar lighting – which is essential for the safety and protection of those living in camps – and fuel-efficient cook-stoves with sustainably harvested firewood. · £800,000 through the UN Humanitarian Fund, in support of coordination, nutrition, protection and health activities – including support to the World Health Organisation to help prevent the outbreak of diseases and to provide reproductive health services to those living in displacement camps; and support to the International Organization of Migration to support camp management and coordination, and; · Up to £230,000 to support UN personnel to coordinate the response. In addition, a number of NGOs have also accessed the Start Fund, a funding mechanism for delivering rapid humanitarian assistance which is jointly funded by the UK and Irish Governments. ActionAid, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide and Save the Children have used £350,000 from the fund to provide vital resources to those displaced by the floods.   All of our partners who are directly receiving UK funds work with and through a range of national and international organisations, with strong and long-standing connections to communities on the ground.

Malawi

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further support they will provide to international institutions, non-governmental organisations or the government of Malawi in order to prevent the escalation of the humanitarian problems caused by the recent flooding in Malawi.

Baroness Northover: The UK has moved quickly to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the floods, and food supplies, water and sanitation, blankets and cooking utensils funded by the UK Government are getting through to affected households. We are also working to support communities to recover in the months to come, to allow displaced persons to return to their homes and rebuild their farms and their livelihoods. For example, we are providing funding to a consortium of NGO’s led by Concern Universal and to the Farmers’ Union of Malawi to enable them to distribute seeds and tools to help 54,000 smallholder farmers whose crops have been damaged by the floods. This funding will help ensure that as many as possible of those affected by the floods are still able to harvest crops this season, mitigating the threat of food insecurity. We have also provided funds to the World Food Programme, which will help feed 370,000 people affected by the floods and replenish the food stocks set aside for seasonal food insecurity.   The UK provides long-term support to Malawi to help build the resilience of communities against the threat of climate-related disasters, such as flooding and droughts. Our Enhancing Community Resilience Programme (ECRP) works with over a million vulnerable Malawians in eleven districts both to diversify their sources of income and prevent environmental degradation. With the help of this programme, some communities in flood-prone areas had already been supported to relocate their homes before the floods, and the programme had also installed flood early warning systems that were effective in saving lives. Our ECRP partners will be working in the coming months to help those farmers affected by the floods to rebuild their livelihoods.   We recognise the long-term challenges that climate change poses to Malawi. Over the next three years, the UK will use International Climate Fund resources to scale-up our efforts to enable vulnerable communities to be more resilient to climate shocks.

Department for Education

Special Educational Needs

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage more qualified teachers to pursue training in special needs education in order to teach at special schools.

Lord Nash: Schools are best placed to determine the professional development needs of their staff and it is for them to include the quality of special educational needs (SEN) support within their approach to school improvement and professional development.   For our part, the Department for Education is committed to supporting the development of teachers’ skills in meeting SEN. The Department provides support through the National Scholarship Fund for teachers and support staff, which provides funding to undertake postgraduate qualifications and training in supporting children with SEN and disabilities. This year, 556 teachers were part-funded to undertake a wide variety of different SEN and disability courses, mainly at master’s level. The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has commissioned 10 teaching schools and their initial teacher training (ITT) partnerships, to initiate, develop and implement innovative additions to their training programmes, to enhance the skills and knowledge of SEN for prospective teachers. The outcomes of these trials will be reported on at the end of next year. In response to the publication of Sir Andrew Carter Review of ITT on 19 January, the Secretary of State for Education will be appointing an independent working group composed of expert representatives from the sector to develop a framework of core ITT content. We expect the group to consider SEN as part of this.   The Department is funding the National Association for Special Educational Needs (Nasen) to deliver leadership and implementation conferences and produce ‘how to’ materials supporting assessment, pupil progress, use of teaching assistants, working with 12 Outstanding schools. The Department has also provided funding to Nasen to set up a new SEND Gateway[1] which was launched in May 2014. This is an online portal offering education professionals free, easy access to high-quality information, resources and training for meeting the needs of children with SEN and disabilities.   Furthermore, all ITT programmes train teachers to teach both mainstream pupils and those with SEN. In order to be awarded Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), trainees must satisfy the Teachers’ Standards (‘the Standards’) which include a requirement that they have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and are able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them. The Standards apply to all qualified teachers and can be used to underpin teacher training and guide teachers’ ongoing professional development.  [1] www.sendgateway.org.uk/

Social Services: Children

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the August 2014 Ofsted inspection report which found Buckinghamshire County Council's children's services (particularly in relation to the protection of children) to be "inadequate"; who has been appointed as Buckinghamshire County Council Children's Social Care Adviser; and when it is expected that Buckinghamshire County Council will resume direct responsibility for its children's services.

Lord Nash: Buckinghamshire County Council continues to be responsible for delivering and improving its own children’s services; the Government has appointed Red Quadrant as an adviser for a period of eighteen months to support it in doing so. The Department for Education’s intervention arrangements will, however, remain in place until the performance of children’s services in Buckinghamshire reaches the required level.

European Union

Baroness Prashar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total cost of the Review of the Balance of Competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union to the Department for Education and its associated agencies, broken down by (1) staff time, (2) printing costs, (3) running of engagement events, (4) witness expenses, (5) publicity of the reports, and (6) any and all other associated costs.

Lord Nash: As you will be aware, the Balance of Competences Review concluded in December 2014. It was the most comprehensive analysis of the UK’s relationship with the EU ever undertaken. The Review involved a large number of Departments across Whitehall to produce the 32 reports. The Review was based on the evidence and views received through widespread consultation with interested parties from across society. Across the whole review, Departments received close to 2,300 evidence submissions. The involved Departments also held over 250 events, attended by around 2,100 stakeholders.   It was important that what is an unprecedented examination of EU membership was done with appropriate time and care. But the Government is also very conscious of the need to ensure value for money in everything that it does.   Costs Staff costs Between May 2015 to December 2015, the Balance of Competence Review Team in the Department was staffed by the equivalent of one Grade 7 (salary range £49,739 - £58,373). All other work on the Review was allocated, according to need, to existing staff within the Department. Therefore, providing a full breakdown of staff time and costs would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold. Printing costs The printing and publication for the Education, Training and Youth report was coordinated centrally, but paid for by the Department. Printing costs for the report were £3,071.16. Running engagement events Engagement events in Edinburgh and Brussels cost a total of £1,670.51. Witness expenses Across the whole of the Balance of Competences Review witness expenses amounted to approximately £2,255. Publicity There was no publicity cost. All other associated costs There were no other associated costs.

Teachers: Professional Organisations

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action has been taken to ensure that the proposed Royal College of Teaching does not alienate some teachers with expensive annual membership fees.

Lord Nash: The Government welcomes the proposed establishment of a new, independent College of Teaching as a positive step towards raising standards and championing the professional status of teaching. However, a key determinant of such a body’s future success will be its independence from Government. For that reason any question of membership costs would be wholly for the new organisation itself to determine. It is clearly important, however, that a new body has broad appeal for teachers and is able to establish a strong membership.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Floods: Somerset

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the Somerset floods of 2014, what payments have been made to date to farmers who lodged claims; and what proportion of those payments have been made by (1) central government, (2) local government, and (3) the appeal fund raised to help those affected.

Lord De Mauley: Defra awarded £1.74 million in grants to farmers in Somerset through the Farming Recovery Fund. To date grant claims totalling £1.23 million have been received and as of 6 February 2015, £818,055 has been paid out.   We do not hold information on money paid out by local Government or by any local appeal funds.

Home Office

Female Genital Mutilation

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bates on 19 December (HL3453, HL3455 and HL3456), whether the multi-agency guidelines to support better co-ordination of guidance on protecting girls from female genital mutilation have any relationship to public agencies in Scotland; and if not, what coordination exists between those guidelines and the guidelines that operate in Scotland.

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bates on 19 December (HL3453, HL3455 and HL3456), whether any of the 42 joint protocols between the police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service have any impact in Scotland; and whether any joint protocol has been established between police and prosecution services in England and Wales and in Scotland.

Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Bates on 19 December (HL3453, HL3455 and HL3456), whether any of the data collected in studies funded by the Home Office covers the whole of the United Kingdom or just England and Wales; and whether any United Kingdom-wide data has been disaggregated for the four nations of the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The Government is committed to tackling female genital mutilation (FGM). The multi-agency practice guidelines on FGM are designed for application in England and Wales. The guidelines include a weblink to information on the Scottish Government’s work on FGM. The 42 joint protocols between the police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service apply in England and Wales only.The 2007 and 2014 prevalence studies part-funded by the Home Office cover the number of girls and women affected by FGM in England and Wales. The full version of the 2014 study including data disaggregated at a local level in England and Wales will be published shortly.The Government’s new specialist FGM Unit will work in consultation with partners in Scotland, as appropriate, to ensure a joined up approach to tackling FGM across the UK.

Asylum: Eritrea

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, when asylum is granted to Eritrean nationals, it is done after consideration of the human rights situation in that country.

Lord Bates: All asylum claims from Eritrean nationals are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our international obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights, and taking into account a wide range of reliable and balanced information on the human rights situation in Eritrea.

HM Treasury

Tourism: VAT

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to reduce VAT for tourism.

Lord Deighton: The Government currently has no plans to reduce VAT for tourism.

Economic Situation: Ukraine

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what their role has been, or will be, in financial negotiations with the government of Ukraine, through both the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

Lord Deighton: The Government strongly supports providing financial assistance to Ukraine through the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), accompanied by appropriate policy conditionality.

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Treasury will publish the dates, agendas and minutes of any meetings that ministers and officials in that department have had regarding alcohol duty with representatives of (1) the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, (2) the Scotch Whisky Association, (3) the British Beer and Pub Association, (4) Diageo, (5) SAB Miller, and (6) the Portman Group, between 1 April 2014 and 31 January 2015.

Lord Deighton: Treasury ministers and officials routinely meet with a wide range of stakeholders as part of the policy development process. HM Treasury routinely publishes details of Ministerial and Permanent Secretary meetings with external organisations on its website[1].  [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Cabinet Office

Population

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of the population increase is attributed to immigration under the most recent United Kingdom population projection under the high migration variant; and whether that percentage includes future children born to migrant parents who have already arrived in the United Kingdom.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply and attached their response.



UK Statistics Authority Reply
(PDF Document, 178.06 KB)

Department of Health

Passive Smoking

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of people who died as a result of passive smoking in each of the last five years.

Earl Howe: Exposure to secondhand smoke is a serious health hazard. More than 50 carcinogens have been identified in secondhand smoke.   The report of the United States Surgeon General titled “The health consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke” concluded that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in children and adults who do not smoke. The scientific evidence indicates that there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems and more severe asthma. Smoking by parents causes respiratory symptoms and slows lung growth in children. Exposure of adults to secondhand smoke has immediate adverse effects on the cardiovascular system and causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer. Legislation to stop smoking in vehicles carrying children will come into force in England on 1 October 2015.  The report of the Royal College of Surgeons titled “Going smoke-free: The medical case for clean air in the home, at work and in public places” included estimates that secondhand smoke exposure caused approximately 122,200 deaths in the United Kingdom in 2003, and that the majority of these deaths occurred as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke in the home. These estimates were made prior to the introduction of smokefree legislation in England in 2007. Over the past decade, the proportion of smokers who say that they do not smoke in the home has increased.   The evidence is clear that smokefree legislation in England has had beneficial effects on health, as set out in the report “The Impact of smokefree legislation in England: evidence review” which was published alongside the Government’s “Tobacco Control Plan for England” in March 2011.   The reports referred to have been placed in the Library.

Autism

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 4 February (HL Deb, col 644), what audit procedures are in place to monitor the number of diagnoses for autism that are given each year; and how long it takes to obtain a diagnosis.

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 4 February (HL Deb, col 644), how many autism diagnoses take place (1) each year in England, and (2) within three months of referral.

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 4 February (HL Deb, col 644), what monitoring and reporting procedures exist to measure the effectiveness of local training programmes aimed at supporting diagnoses of autism.

Earl Howe: The national autism self-assessment exercises led by Public Health England, the Department of Health and the Association of Adult Directors of Social Services are a means of identifying progress in implementing the Adult Autism Strategy as a whole and for demonstrating local accountability. They include questions about adult diagnosis. The third self-assessment exercise is currently being undertaken by local authorities and their partners. How long it takes an adult to obtain a diagnosis and the number of diagnosis taking place within three months of referral is not recorded by the self-assessment. In the last self-assessment exercise in February 2014 a total of 4,702 adults were reported by 110 local authority areas as having completed a local diagnostic pathway in the previous year.   The number of children diagnosed with autism is not collected centrally but data on children in school in England whose primary special educational need is an autism spectrum condition is collected in an annual Special Educational Needs survey by the Department for Education. This data is found at:   https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/special-educational-needs-in-england-january-2014   Training to support autism diagnoses will be part of Continuing Professional Development and other training materials and will be audited at a local level.

Bone Marrow Disorders

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 February (HL4498), when the clinical trial assessing the benefits of antibiotic prophylaxis on infections in myeloma patients will commence; and which centres will be involved.

Earl Howe: The trial opened to patient recruitment in July 2012 and the planned close date is 30 November 2015. Current United Kingdom recruitment is 640 and the planned target is 800. A maximum of 110 trial sites are being sought. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network Co-ordinating Centre has provided the following list of 89 UK sites currently open to recruitment.   Altnagelvin HospitalAntrim HospitalBasingstoke and North Hampshire HospitalBasildon University HospitalRoyal United Hospital BathBelfast City HospitalRoyal Berkshire HospitalBradford Royal InfirmaryBroomfield HospitalQueen's Hospital, BurtonCalderdale Royal HospitalCastle Hill HospitalChesterfield Royal HospitalColchester General HospitalCraigavon Area HospitalDarent Valley HospitalDewsbury HospitalDiana Princess of Wales HospitalDorset County HospitalEaling HospitalFrenchay HospitalGeorge Eliot HospitalGlan Clwyd HospitalGood Hope HospitalGrantham HospitalGuys and St Thomas' HospitalRoyal Gwent HospitalGreat Western HospitalHeartlands HospitalHillingdon HospitalHuddersfield Royal InfirmaryKettering General HospitalKing's College HospitalKings Mill HospitalKingston HospitalSt James University HospitalLeicester Royal InfirmaryLeighton HospitalUniversity Hospital LewishamLincoln County HospitalRoyal Liverpool University HospitalMacclesfield District General HospitalMedway Maritime HospitalMilton Keynes HospitalManchester Royal InfirmaryNorth Devon District HospitalNevill Hall HospitalNew Cross HospitalNorth Middlesex University HospitalNorthampton General HospitalNorthwick Park HospitalPilgrim HospitalPinderfields HospitalPontefract HospitalPoole HospitalQueen Alexandra HospitalPrincess Royal University HospitalQueen Elizabeth HospitalQueen Elizabeth Hospital, King's LynnQueen Elizabeth Hospital, WoolwichQueen's Hospital, RomfordRoyal Devon & Exeter HospitalRoyal Hallamshire HospitalRoyal Hampshire County HospitalRoyal Surrey County HospitalRussells Hall HospitalSalisbury District HospitalSandwell General HospitalSouthend University HospitalUniversity Hospital South Manchester (Wythenshaw)Southmead HospitalSouthampton General HospitalStafford HospitalSt Helier HospitalStoke Mandeville HospitalThe Royal Shrewsbury HospitalTorbay HospitalUniversity Hospital CoventryUniversity Hospital North Staffordshire (Royal Stoke)Ulster HospitalWarwick HospitalWexham Park HospitalWhipps Cross HospitalWithybush HospitalWest Middlesex University HospitalWrexham Maleor HospitalWarrington HospitalGlangwili General Hospital, CarmarthenWycombe Hospital

Bone Marrow Disorders

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 4 February (HL4498), which commercial, third sector and other non-commercial organisations are involved in myeloma treatment trials and studies jointly funded or hosted by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); and what assessment NIHR has made of their progress.

Earl Howe: Funders of myeloma treatment trials and studies hosted by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) clinical research infrastructure include the following organisations:   - All Ireland Co-operative Oncology Research Group; - Array Biopharma Inc.; - Bristol Myers Squibb; - Cancer Research UK; - Celgene; - Cell Medica Ltd; - Centocor Ortho Biotech Services, Inc.; - Chiron Corporation; - Chugai Pharma UK; - Eli Lilly; - F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; - Genmab; - Insightec; - International Myeloma Foundation; - Janssen Cilag International NV; - Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund; - Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc; - Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research; - Medical Research Council; - Merck & Co., Inc.; - Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; - MPD Voice; - Myeloma UK; - NIHR; - Novartis - Onyx Therapeutics, Inc.; - Schering Health Care Ltd; and - Wellcome Trust.   The following NIHR biomedical research centres are hosting myeloma treatment trials and studies:   - Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Cambridge; - Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with King’s College London; - Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, in partnership with the University of Oxford; - Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the Institute of Cancer Research; and - University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with University College London.   The following National Health Service trusts receiving NIHR funding for clinical research facilities for experimental medicine are hosting myeloma treatment trials and studies:   - Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust; - Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; - Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust; - University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; and - University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.   Over 100 sites in the NHS are recruiting patients to one or more myeloma trials and studies hosted by the NIHR Clinical Research Network.   The Department of Health is a member of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI). NCRI Clinical Studies Groups (CSGs) bring together clinicians, scientists, statisticians and lay representatives to coordinate development of a strategic portfolio of trials within their field. All CSGs interact with clinical research networks, funders (including NIHR) and researchers to develop studies aimed at improving outcomes for patients. The Haematological Oncology CSG has a Myeloma Subgroup and its 2013-14 annual report is available on the NCRI website at:   http://csg.ncri.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/NCRI-Haem-Onc-CSG-Annual-Report-2013-14.pdf   All designated NIHR infrastructure for experimental medicine is contractually required to report annually on progress with agreed research work plans.

Pregnancy: Mental Health Services

Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of midwives are trained to provide mothers with mental health support.

Earl Howe: The Government is committed to giving mothers the support and care they need throughout their pregnancy, birth and after birth. Safety and high quality care for mothers are at the heart of maternity services.   Health Education England’s (HEE) Mandate requires it to build knowledge and competence in perinatal mental health. HEE has developed a proposed set of learning objectives on perinatal mental health for student midwives, and has engaged with the Royal College of Midwives to discuss this proposal and ensure that the curriculum provides midwives with the appropriate level of knowledge and competence in perinatal mental health.   To ensure that qualified midwives keep their skills up-to-date with the latest evidence, HEE has developed three e-learning modules in partnership with the Institute of Health Visiting on perinatal mental health, intended for use by midwives, nurses and health visitors. The modules specifically cover perinatal depression and other maternal mental health disorders. HEE plans to develop further e-learning modules for the existing workforce in 2015, to reduce the incidence and impact of postnatal depression through earlier diagnosis, and better intervention and support.   HEE is working with partners to ensure that pre and post registration training in perinatal mental health is provided consistently. This will facilitate staff with specialist skills being available to every birthing unit by 2017.   HEE are sustaining the record number of midwives entering training this year, and has commissioned 2,563 new Midwifery training places for 2014/15. Between May 2010 and October 2014, the numbers of full-time equivalent midwives have increased by nearly 2,000 and over 6,000 are in training.

Maternity Services

Baroness Nye: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the report by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University commissioned by the Department of Health will be published; and if so, when.

Earl Howe: The report has been completed and its publication is planned for the end of February 2015.

Accident and Emergency Departments

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average waiting time in accident and emergency departments in each month of the last 12 months in (1) Manchester, (2) Newcastle, (3) Bristol, (4) Birmingham, (5) Plymouth, (6) Harlow, and (7) Canterbury.

Earl Howe: Information is not available in the format requested. Information showing the mean and median durations to assessment, treatment and departure for accident and emergency (A&E) departments at the hospital providers in the areas requested is attached. 



A&E Averages
(Excel SpreadSheet, 40.83 KB)